Machine for labeling bottles, cans, canisters, and the like.



A. W. STOKER.

MACHINE FOR LABELING BOTTLES, CANS, CANISTERS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15, 1915.

1,148,201 Patented July 27, 1915.

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COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH CO..WASH|NGTON, D. c.

A. W. STOKER.

MACHINE FOR LABELING BOTTLES, CANS, CANISTERS, AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED'MAR. 15.1915.

1,148,201 Patented July 27, 1915.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

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COLUMBIA PLANDORAPH (IO-,WASHINIJTON. Dv C.

A. W. STOKE R.

MACHlNE FOB LABELlNG BOTTLES, CANS, CANISTERS, AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15, I915.

1,148.201 Patented July 27, 1915.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

Wilzzwsas. [ave/2Z0]? K. m Hafiz M Jan /2. M waiwe w COLUMBIA PLANOGIAPH CD" WASHINGTON. D. C.

A. W. STOKER.

MACHINE FOR LABELING BOTTLES, CANS, CANlSTERS, AND THE LIKE.

Patented July 27, 1915.

a SHEETS-SHEET4.

APPLICATION FILED 'MAR. 15. 1915.

COLUMBIA PLANOCIRAPH co., WASHINGTON, D. c.

A. W. STOKER. MACHINE FOR LABELING BOTTLES, CANS, CANISTERS, AND'THE LIKE.

' APPLICATION FILED MAR. I5. I915. Patented 27 8 SHEETS-SHEET 5.

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EZQu/Z ww APPW A. W. STOKER.

MACHINE FOR LABELING BOTTLES, CANS, CANISTERS,- AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. I5, I915.

Patented July 27, 1915.

8 SHEETSSHEET 6.

| I l IIII IYFIJIIK \I\ Y 1|\ ILIIIIIIF V IIIII I I l I I I I I f 1 IHHI A. W. STOKER.

MACHINE FOR LABELING BOTTLES, CANS, CANISTERS, AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED MAIL l5. I915.

1,148,201 Patented July 27, 1915.

8 SHEETSSH'EET 7.

Witnassas. IIZUWZZWI? @WM 1 v COLUMBIA PLANouRAPH cm, WASHINGTON, D. c.

A. W. STOKER.

MACHINE FOR LABELING BOTTLES, CANS, CANISTEBS, AND THE LIKE. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 15. 1915;

1,148,201 Patented July 27, 1915.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 8.

0 5 fiwerzioz" wgw W ALFRED WASHINGTON STOKEB, .O-F LONDON, ENGLAND.

MACHINE FOR LABELING BOTTLES, CANS, CANISTEIRS, AND THELIKE.

Specification of Letters'Patent.

Patented July 27, 1915.

Application filed March 15, 1915. -Seria1No. 14,606.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1,,ALFRED WASHINGTON Sronnn, a subject of the King of Great Britain, residing at Ingram House, 165 Fenchurch street, London, England, have invented new and useful Improvements in Machines for Labeling Bottles, Cans, Canisters, and the like, of which the following is a specification. it

This invention relates to a machine for labeling bottles,wcan canisters and other articles and to that class of machines wherein labels are applied to both the body and stopper or lid of the article by means of picking, pasting, gripping and wiping devices. It also relates to the-type of labeling machines wherein the bottles or the like are automatically presented to the labeling devices.

According to my invention '1 construct a labeling machine wherein a label is applied to the stopper or lid of one article while one or more labels is or are being applied to the body of an adjacent article instead of such labels being applied simultaneously to one article in the known manner.

In a suitable arrangement for carrying out my invention the picking, pasting, gripping and wiping devices for the different labels are positioned so that the latter can be applied to the bottles or other articles with the latter in an upright position and the said devices are made adjustable in the vertical direction.

To enable the invention to be fully understood I will describe it by reference to the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a side elevation of a machine constructed according to the invention for applying two body labels, one neck label and a stopper labelto stoppered bottles, a portion of the stopper labeling mechanism, however, being omitted. Fig. 2 is a plan view of the machine. Fig. 3 is a rear view showing the label boxes and a portion of the pasting mechanism for the body and neck labels. Fig. 4 is a side view of the said label boxes. Fig. '5 is a side elevation showing the body wipers and pickers, and the operating mechanism therefor. Y Fig. 6 is a plan view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5. Fig. 7 is a side elevation showing pasting device for the body and necklabels and also the neck picker and wipers and the mechanism for operating the same. Fig. 8 is a plan .view of part of themecha:

nismshown in Fig. 7. Fig. 9. is a side elevation showingthe gripper mechanism for the'body labels. Fig. 10 is a plan view of a portion of the mechanism shown in Fig. 9. Fig. 11 is a side view of the stopper labeling mechanism, and Fig. 12 is a front elevation of the upper portion thereof.

a is the-bed plate of the machine supported upon the uprights or standards 6 and c is the horizontal table for supporting the bottles to be labeled. The table 0 is carried by the spindle a mounted in a vertical bearing 0 on one of the standards I) and c is a ratchet wheel which is keyed upon the lower end of the spindle 0 the said ratchet wheel being designed to be intermittently actuated by means of the spring pawl 0 operated from the common driving shaft A, which shaft is driven from a main driving shaft B through the medium of the toothed gear C, C The mechanism, by means of which the common shaft A drives the ratchet wheel 0 comprises a pin (3 on the wheel C which pin, as the saidwheel rotates, comes into contact with and tilts the tail of a lever 0 pivoted on a bracket 0 and jointed to one end of a link 0 the other end of which is jointed to a bell-crank c pivotally connected to a link 0 directly actuatingv the aforesaid pawl.

In conjunction with the ratchet wheel 0 there is also, keyed upon the spindle c a disk d furnished with a number of peripheral notches d in which engages a roller detent d H3011 one endof an arm d the other end of which is ointed to one end of arod cl. The other end of therod d is jointed to a lever d pivoted at (Z6 to the rear standardb, and having its depending endin the path of the aforesaid pin 0 on the wheel C Aswill be understood, the number of teeth upon the ratchet wheel 0 and the number of peripheral recesses d in the disk 15 corresponds to the number of bottles D which the table C is designed to carry, this number being, in the machine illustrated, ten. The disposition of the ratchet wheel 0 and of the notched disk (Z is such that the engagement of the detent d with the latter arrests the table intermittently in the position at which the bottle is to be labeled, the said detent being released and the ratchet operated by the aforesaid mechanismfrom the shaft A in the proper sequence, as will be hereinafter more par ticularly described.

6 indicates a pair of upright brackets keyed upon the bed-plate a on either side thereof, these two brackets being designed to carry the label boxes for the body and neck of the bottle. Of these boxes, three are shown in the drawings, namely 6 c and 6 for labeling, respectively, the neck, the middle of the body and the lower end of the body of the bottles. These label boxes, which are shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 4:, are directly carried by brackets 6 on rods 6 of which they can be horizontally adjusted, the said brackets 6 being themselves mounted so that they can be vertically adjusted on upright rods e carried by brackets e secured to the upright brackets e.

In conjunction with the two lower label boxes 0 and 6 there is provided a common picker device shown clearly in Figs. 5 and 6 which device comprises a frame or the like mounted upon a slide 7 designed to be moved in guides f upon the bed plate a through the medium of a rod i which is actuated by the bell crank f pivoted on a shaft f carried by brackets i upon the bed plate a, and which is controlled by means of a rod 7 actuated by a cam f keyed upon the shaft A. Each revolution of the cam f in the direction of the arrow, Fig. 5, causes the picker to move back toward the two piles of labels, and then forward toward the face of the bottle, as hereinafter more particularly described.

9 are two rods depending from the underside of the bed-plate a as shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 7 and g is a cross-head which is adapted to slide upon the said rods 9.

g is a pasting roller which is pivotally mounted in an extension 9 of the said crosshead, the said roller being designed, as the cross-head is reciprocated up and down, to come into contact with the pasting roller 9 which receives paste by contact with a roller g revolving in the pastebox g carried by a bracket 9 adjustable on a rod 9 beneath the bed-plate a. The reciprocation of the cross-head 9 at the proper time for effecting the pasting operation of the picker 7, is effected by means of the lever g pivoted at to one of the standards 6 and actuated by means of the cam g keyed upon a shaft A.

The wiping device which is provided to act in conjunction with the picker device f comprises, as shown clearly in Figs. 5 and 6, a pair of arms h which are pivoted at 72, to slides 71. running in guides if provided upon the bed-plate at. These arms h are provided at their front or operative ends with india-rubber or like flexible strips [L and their rear ends are normally pressed by springs 705 against fixed stops it. The shape of each of the rear ends of these arms is, however, formed as a cam surface, as indicated at it so that as the slides 71. move in the guides 72, the operative ends h are caused to move inward and then outward in the manner hereinafter described in order to wipe the pasted labels on to the bottle.

it are pivoted spring catches which engage with the tails of the arms 72. so as to hold the said arms apart during their retrograde movement after having wiped a label so that they shall not foul the picker f and it are stops with which the said catches engage to release the arms in as hereinafter described.

The slides k are connected together by the bridge-piece k and are reciprocated by means of a common rod 72. which is con nected to one end of a bell-crank lever k pivoted to the shaft 7, and the other arm of which is actuated by a rod 72 controlled from the cam [L13 keyed upon the shaft A.

The gripper device for holding the two body labels against the bottle during the action of the wipers h and while the picker 7 is withdrawn in the manner hereinafter described is clearly shown in Figs. 9 and 10 and comprises the arm 2' which is provided with a pad 2' at its outer end designed to make contact with the said labels and which is pivoted at 2' to a fixed bracket '5 on a vertically adjustable rod 11. This arm is normally drawn toward the bottle by means of the spring 2 but is held out of contact therewith, in the position shown in Fig. 10, by means of a pin 2' upon one end of a lever 2' pivoted on the rod t and the other end of which is designed to be reciprocated by the telescoping spring rod i from the lever i pivoted to the rear standard 6 at 71 and actuated by the cam i upon the shaft A.

As will be understood the picker, pasting, wiper and gripping devices above described are designed for use in the application of the two lower body labels, these said devices being common to both these sets of labels.

The devices for applying the labels from i the hox c to the neck of the bottle are shown clearly in Figs. 7 and 8, and as re gards the picker and wiper mechanisms are of substantially the same construction as those described with reference to the lower labels. In the drawings the said parts are designated by equivalent reference letters to those denoting the parts in the already described mechanisms, except that capital letters are employed in lieu of the corresponding small type. In the arrangement it will be seen, however, that the guides for the slides F and H are formed on a block F vertically adjustable in the brackets c.

As regards the gripper device for the neck labels, the construction of this varies somewhat from the gripping device '5 already described, and comprises, as clearly shown in Fig. 9, a bell crank lever j pivoted at 7' to a bracket on one of the brackets e,

other end of the said lever being spring connected to a rod j attached'to the aforementioned arm 2'", which actuates the gripper 2' for the body labels.

The pasting device for the neck picker consists, as shown clearly in Figs. 3 and 7, of the roller is, carried by the extension 9 of the cross head 9 which extension carries the pasting roller g for the body labels. The roller is designed, as the said cross head reciprocates, to be brought into contact with the pasting roller 70 which receives paste by contact with a roller 76 revolving in the paste box or receptacle 70 The operation of the machineas described is as follows, that is to say, the bottles .D are placed upon the table a, as shown in Fig. 2, they being held in position by the supporting devices Z. Assuming that a bottle is in the position shown in Figs. 1 and 2 for receiving labels upon the body and neck, the rotation of the shaft A causes the several parts above described to be actuated in the following sequence.

The pasting device g and 7c is first moved upward by the cam g so as to apply coatings of paste to the rear surfaces of the body and neck pickers f and F, which are held stationary by their operating cams f and F 8 for this purpose. The cam g then causes the said pasting rollers to return to the normal position in contact with the rollers g and k which are preferably made to rotate in the paste boxes by suitable means such as bands on actuated from the shaft A.

The pickers f and F are then moved back against the packets of labels c 6 and 6 respectively, and their pasted sides pick off the foremost labels, after which the cams f and F cause them to move back toward the bottle D, so as to apply the picked off labels against the surface thereof. The grippers i and 7' are then brought by the cam i against the centers of the labels, so as to hold them against the bottles, whereupon the pickers are moved away, leaving the labels held against the bottles, the said pickers being returned to the position 'for receiving a further coating of paste for the next set of labels. The wipers h and H are then brought into action, that is to say, they are moved forward by their cams h H so that the pads h*, H at their operative ends are applied against the labels near the centers thereof, and are then moved outward toward the edges of the latter, after which they are opened out by the cam surfaces at the tails of their operating arms, so that they clear the bottle, in which position they are held by the catches it and H respectively, which catcheslock over the extremities of the tails, and maintain the wipers in the ex-- panded position during their return move ment, which is now effected by their said operatlve cams. The said wipers are held in prises, as in the case of the body labels,

label box, a picker device, and gripper and wiping devices, and these devices are arranged as follows. A bracket 0 is provided upon the bed-plate a, and carries another bracket 0 secured so as to project horiZontally from the bracket 0, and so that its position can be adjusted vertically thereon. This bracket 0 carries a pair of upright parallel guide rods 0 upon which is slidably mounted a cross-head 0 carrying the horizontal picker device 0 designed to be reciprocated with the said cross-head upon the rods o so as to be brought against the label box 29, which is secured above it upon one of the rods 0 The rods 0 also carry a second cross head 9, to which are pivoted two bent levers Q1, the upper ends of which are furnished with the wiping device 9' and the shorter arms of which are connected together with a pair of toggle links Q3 which when in alinement as shown in Fig. 12 hold the wipers apart against spring pressure so as to pass the picker 0* as the said wipers move upward, the said toggles then coming into contact with a stop 9 so as to break the alinement of the toggles and allow the wipers to move toward each other into position for wiping the label on the stopper.

9 is another stop for again straightening the toggles when at the lowest point of their movement.

The picker cross-head 0 is designed to be reciprocated by a rod 0 connected to alever 0", pivoted at 0 and bearing against a cam 0 keyed upon the shaft A. Similarly, the cross head (1 is reciprocated by a rod hinged toa lever Q5, pivoted at g", and bearing at its extremity against the cam Q7, alsokeyed upon the shaft A. The pasting device for the picker comprises a roller 1,

. against a cam 0 keyed upon the shaft A.

The pasting roller r is caused to reciprocate bythe mechanlsm ust descrlbed over the roller 7", mounted in a paste box 1'', carried by the guides T The gripping device comprises the arm 8, pivoted at s to the bracket 0 and normally held in position shown in Figs. 11 and 12 by means of a rod 8 connected at its upper end to the said gripper arm and at its lower end to a lever s pivoted at s and bearing at its extremity against the cam 8 keyed upon the shaft A. The roller 1' is rotated by a belt (not shown) driven from the shaft B.

It will be understood that the several devices comprising the neck labeling mecha nism, are operated by the several cams in their proper sequence, in a similar manner to those described with reference to the body labels.

In practice the neck labeling mechanism is arranged as shown in Fig. 2, so that it operates upon one bottle at the same time that the body and neck labeling devices are in operation on another bottle, the stopper label being first applied, and the body and neck labels then applied afterthe bottle has been moved forward a step by the intermittently actuated table.

Although in the description I have specifically described and shown my invention as applied to a machine for labeling bottles, it will be understood that it is also applicable for a machine for fixing labels to cans, canisters and the like.

Claims:

1. An apparatus for labeling receptacles, comprising a support for holding a series of receptacles, means for applying a label to the body of one of said receptacles, and

means for applying a label across the top of an adjacent receptacle on the said support simultaneously with the application of the body label to the other receptacle.

2. An apparatus for labeling receptacles comprising means for holding a series of receptacles, means for applying a label to the body of one of said receptacles, means for simultaneously applying a label to the neck of said receptacle, and means for applying a label to the top of an adjacent receptacle simultaneously with the application of the body and neck labels to the other receptacle.

3. An apparatus for labeling receptacles, comprising a rotatable table for holding a series of receptacles, means for applying a label to the body of one of said receptacles, means for applying a label across the top of an adjacent receptacle on the said table simultaneously with the application of the body label to the other receptacles, and means for rotating said table to bring the successive receptacles into position to be labeled.

at. An apparatus for labeling receptacles comprising a support for holding a series of receptacles, means for applying a label to the body of one of said receptacles and means for applying a label across the top of an adjacent receptacle on the said sup port simultaneously with the application of the body label to the other receptacle, said body labeling means consisting of means for supporting the body labels, means for selecting a body label and bringing it into engagement with said receptacle, and means for smoothing orv wiping said selected label upon said receptacle.

' 5. An apparatus for labeling receptacles comprising a support for holding a series of receptacles in vertical position, means for applying a label to the body of one of said receptacles, and means for applying a label across the top of an adjacent receptacle on the said support simultaneously with the application of the body label to the other receptacle, said body labeling means consisting of means for supporting the body labels, reciprocating means for selecting a body label and bringing the same into en gagement with said receptacle, oscillating means for holding said selected label in engagement with said receptacle, and reciprocating and oscillating means for smoothing or wiping said selected label upon the receptacle.

6. An apparatus for labeling receptacles comprising a rotatable table for holding a series of receptacles in vertical position, means for applying a label to the body of one of said receptacles, means for applying a label across the top of an adjacent receptacle on the said table simultaneously with the application of the body label to the other receptacle, and means for rotating said table to bring the successive receptacles into position to be labeled, said body labeling means consisting of a support for the body labels, means for selecting a body label and bringing it into engagement with said receptacle, means for holding said selected label in engagement with said receptacle and means for smoothing or wiping said selected label upon the receptacle.

7. An apparatus for labeling receptacles comprising a support for holding a series of receptacles, means for applying a label to the body of one of said receptacles, and means for applying a label across the top of an adjacent receptacle on the said support simultaneously with the application means for holding said selected label in en gagement with said receptacle, and means for smoothing or wiping said selected label upon the receptacle.

8. An apparatus for labeling receptacles comprising a support for holding a series of receptacles, means for applying a label to the body of one of said receptacles, and means for applying a label across the top of an adjacent receptacle on the said support simultaneously with the application of the body label to the other receptacle, said body labeling means consisting of a vertically and horizontally adjustable support for the body labels, means for selecting a body label and bringing it into engagement with the receptacle, means for holding said selected label in engagement with said receptacle, and means for smoothing or. wiping said selected label upon the receptacle.

9. An apparatus for labeling receptacles comprisinga support for holding a series of receptacles, means for applying a label to the body of one of said receptacles, and means for applying a label across the top of an adjacent receptacle on the said support simultaneously with the application of the body label to the other receptacle, said body labeling means consisting of a body label support, guides provided adjacent to said label support, a picker mounted in said guides and adapted to pick a label from said label support and convey it to the receptacle, means for reciprocating said picker, means for holding said picked label in engagement with said receptacle and means for wiping said selected label upon the receptacle.

10. An apparatus for labeling receptacles comprising a frame, a support for holdin a series of receptacles mounted on sai frame, means for applying a label to the body of one of said receptacles, and means for applying a label across the top of an adjacent receptacle on the said support simultaneously with the application of the body label to the other receptacle, said body labeling means consisting of a body label support carried by said frame, guides provided upon said frame, a picker mounted in said guides and adapted to pick a label from the body label support and convey it to the receptacle, means for reciprocating said picker, pivoted means for holding said picker label in engagement with said receptacle, means for oscillating said holding means, and means for wiping said selected label upon the receptacle.

11. An apparatus for labeling receptacles comprising a frame, a support for holding a series of receptacles mounted on said frame, means for applying a label to the body of one of said. receptacles, and means for applying a label across the top of an adjacent receptacle on the said support simultaneously with the application of the body label to the other receptacle, said body labeling means consisting of a body label support carried by said frame, picker guides provided on said frame, a picker mounted in said guides and adapted to pick a label from the label support and convey it to the receptacle, means for reciprocating said picker, means for holding the selected label in engagement with said receptacle, wiper guides also mounted upon said. frame, a wiping device mounted in said wiper guides and adapted to wipe said selected label upon the receptacle, and means for reciprocating said wiping device.

12. Anapparatus for labeling receptacles comprising a frame, a support for holding a series of receptacles mounted on said frame, means for applying a label to the body of one of said receptacles and means for applying a label across the top of an adjacent receptacle on the said support simultaneously with the application of the body label to the other receptacle, said body labeling means consisting of a body label support carried by said frame, means for picking a label from the label support and bringing it into engagement with the receptacle, means for holding said selected label in engagement with said receptacle, wiper guides provided on said frame, a wiping device mounted in said guides and adapted to wipe said selected label upon the receptacle and means for reciprocating said wiping device.

13. An apparatus for labeling receptacles comprising means for holding a series of receptacles, means for supporting the labels, means for picking the labels from the label support and conveying them to the receptacles, means for holding said selected labels in engagement with the receptacles, and means for wiping said selected labels upon the receptacles, said wiping means consisting of guides, carriages mounted in said guides, means for reciprocating said carriages, wiping arms pivotally mounted upon said carriages, resilient means for forcing the wiping ends of said arms toward each other, means for oscillating said arms when the carriages are reciprocated, spring controlled latches provided upon said carriages for engaging said arms and holding the wiping ends open, and means for disengaging said latches from said arms.

14:. An apparatus for labeling receptacles comprising a frame, receptacle holding means and a label support carried by said frame, picker guides provided upon said frame, a picker mounted in said guides and adapted to pick the labels from the label support and convey them to the receptacles, means for holding said selected labels in engagement with said receptacles, and means for wiping said selected labels upon the receptacles, said wiping means consisting of guides provided upon said frame, carriages mounted in said wiper guides, means for reciprocating said carriages, wiping arms pivotally mounted on said carriages and provided with cam extensions, rollers carried by said frame and engaging said cams, resilient means for forcing the wiping ends of said arms toward each other, spring controlled latches provided upon said carriages for engaging said arms and holding the Wiping ends open during the movement of said arms away from the receptacles, and stops for disengaging said latches from said arms.

15. An apparatus for labeling receptacles comprising a frame, a support for holding a series of receptacles mounted on said frame, means for applying a label to the body of one of said receptacles consisting of a label support provided upon said frame, a reciprocating picker, means for applying adhesive to said picker, said picker being adapted to engage the lateral edges of the foremost label in the label support and convey it to the receptacle to be labeled, a holding device adapted to engage the middle of said label after it has been brought into engagement with the receptacle, a wiping device adapted to engage the middle of said label and move laterally and forwardly to smooth said label upon the receptacle, and means for applying a label across the top of an adjacent receptacle simultaneously with the application of the body label to the other receptacle.

16. An apparatus for labeling receptacles comprising a frame, a support for holding a series of receptacles provided upon said frame, means for applying a label to the body of one of said receptacles consisting of a label support, means for picking a label from said label support and conveying it to said receptacle, means for holding said selected label in engagement with said receptacle, means for smoothing said selected label upon the receptacle, and means for applying a label across the top of an adjacent receptacle on said support simultaneously with the application of the body label to the other receptacle.

17. An apparatus for labeling receptacles comprising a frame, means for holding a series of receptacles provided upon said frame, means for applying a label to the body of one of said receptacles consisting of alabel support, means for picking a label from said label support and conveying it to said receptacle, means for holding said selected label in engagement with said receptacle, means for smoothing said selected label upon the receptacle, and means for applying a label across the top of an adjacent receptacle on the said support simultaneously with the application of the body label to the other receptacle, said top labeling means comprising a label support, means for selecting a label and conveying it to the top of the receptacle, means for holding said label in engagement with the top of the receptacle, and means for smoothing said label upon the top of said receptacle.

ALFRED WASHINGTON STOKER. i/Vitnesses:

JOHN E. BoUsrmLD, C. G. REDFIN.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of latents,

- Washington, D. C. 

